


Love Can Overcome Obstacles Like Paperwork

by ayazel_tsukuyomi300



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist (Anime 2003), Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: F/M, Hawkeye is a Waifu, Hughes is Up to Something!, Love Conquers All, Mustang's Paperwork
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-30
Updated: 2020-06-30
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:34:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,922
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24994714
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ayazel_tsukuyomi300/pseuds/ayazel_tsukuyomi300
Summary: What happens when Riza Hawkeye stays in the Central Headquarters helping Roy Mustang to finish his paperwork after hours? Will they improve their relationship better and perhaps tell their feelings towards each other? And what Hughes got to do with all this?
Relationships: Riza Hawkeye/Roy Mustang
Kudos: 3





	Love Can Overcome Obstacles Like Paperwork

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer- I don't own FMA. If Hiromu Arakawa wants someone to clean the windows...I'm so there with Windex and it’ll shine bright as Armstrong Sparkles!

**Love Can Overcome Obstacles like Paperwork**

Ah, Central Headquarters...where gifted alchemist comes here to prove their special alchemy gift, not only here but also to the world. But that was not the point here. We find ourselves in THE office of the handsome Colonel Roy Mustang. He was doing his usual paperwork with a sour look on his face because he was behind on schedule.

Then, a knock on the door was heard.

"Come in..." Roy said not even looking at the door.

First Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye entered the room while pushing forward with a big wheel cart of paperwork for the Colonel to sign until his precious youth started slipping away. "Here you are, sir. This is more papers that need your dear attention and autograph."

Roy looked up and his eyes went like deer caught in headlights as he saw the amounts of devil papers. "You must be kidding me! First, Fuhrer Bradley sent me this million and now this bazillion?" he said in panic like he has a paper phobia.

"It wasn't Fuhrer Bradley this time. Lieutenant Colonel Hughes needs all these signed by you by first thing tomorrow morning," Riza explained clearly to Roy.

As Roy digested the First Lieutenant's explanation, he got to the conclusion that he looked quite upset suddenly: "So it was Hughes..." he grumbled standing up with his fists balled from his chair, going straight to the door.

"Sir, where are you going?" Riza asked as she heard boss music in her mind.

"Since I'm going to stay here signing and signing papers all night... I'm gonna incriminate that bastard alive! Breda doesn’t call me Mr. Snappy Fingers for nothing!" he exclaimed as the boss music intensified, and Riza got in his way before anything happened.

"Wait, Colonel! Hughes was supposed to do it but he left a minute ago because of his family emergency!" Riza explained once more. Good, she thought, the crisis has been averted…for now.

Roy sighed in defeat, sat on his chair, and resigned to his paperwork's fate. "I'll give him a major third-degree burn later..." he muttered in wanting revenge like a child.

Riza slightly sweats dropped and she cleared her throat: "Permission to leave the room, sir," she thought that it was good for once for the Colonel to take his office related task seriously.

"Granted..." he said quietly as he signed already the first piece of paper and tossed it on the side with little to no motivation.

Riza saluted him and left the office, leaving him alone with...the _paperwork of doom_.

**2 hours of never-ending paperwork later...**

Riza opened the door not too loud for Roy to hear. She was checking if Roy would not attempt to escape the obligatory office task since it was no doubt that he has a 99.9 percent chance of doing it. She assumed that Roy already signed somewhere to the half. That was not all: Hawkeye felt sorry for him since everyone was leaving for their homes and he was going to stay all alone in the headquarters probably all night doing nothing but the pain in the butt paperwork.

Oh, how the Flame Alchemist wanted to torch the Lieutenant Colonel so badly but the paperwork gets the whole blaming. After all, it was his job to do.

After much deliberation, Riza decided to walk to in front of his desk and spoke: "Sir...?"

The Colonel stopped his task to look up at the First Lieutenant: "...Need some help with it to finish?" she asked in concern because Roy looked tired and stressed physically and mentally. At this rate, he had little chance to finish it all by himself. Let's say it was around another 99.9 plus one percent chance to throw the towel and call it a day...

"I really appreciate it, Lieutenant Hawkeye, but you're already off the hook for the day," Roy replied politely as he did his best to not look tired.

Riza shook her head: "I'll help you anyways even if you say otherwise,” she stated firmly. “You'll never end this by yourself before the glimpse of sunlight and you have been burning that pen since this morning."

She had a valid point: Roy decided to take on Riza's much-needed help since he didn't have any other choice. He wanted to go to his other meeting and go home badly as every other soldier. "Thank you very much, Riza," he flashed her a smile as he accepted and was beyond grateful for the help.

Riza blushed upon seeing the charming smile: "Um, you're welcomed, Colonel Mustang," she said to then look down to her feet so Roy wouldn’t notice her blush.

"Please Riza, when are you going to call me Roy? From now on refer me at my first name. It's my personal wish as Roy, not Colonel Mustang."

"Sounds like a tough Equivalent Exchange," she sighed in defeat, "All right, you win... _Roy_.”

Roy smirked because he secretly liked the way that Riza pronounced his name. It was bliss music for his ears… Besides, he would get to hang out with his favorite person for a little while: "Shall we get down to the paperwork business?"

"You got it," and with that, Riza helped him by achieving and putting away the files while he signed and signed with the pen the ‘it-shall-not-be-named’...paperwork.

Three hours have passed since the First Lieutenant had decided to help the Colonel finish his most deadly task yet: the paperwork. The couple, although they do not admit it, we're working incessantly in dead silence.

 _‘Damn. Why is it becoming very difficult to have one blessed conversation with her?'_ Roy, not being very sure of himself, was cursing the dead silence between him and his preferred subordinate. He wanted to talk to her!

No. Riza was more than his subordinate ...

She was his friend.

Yes. That was the correct word.

...Wait. Now the word friend was not enough ... It is as if there is still a puzzle to solve that the real piece was missing... Roy did not know what it was but he opted to pay more attention to the freaking paperwork that prevented him from going to his apartment in holy peace. He really should think about getting a second secretary to handle the stupid paperwork! For her, there will be marginal benefits: Roy would pay her well, she will also be lucky to see his handsome face 5 days a week for 40 hours a week, among other plus benefits offered by the state military. Yup, mental note: first thing in the morning, published in the newspaper an advertisement for the search for a secretary suitable for tedious jobs like paperwork, who receives and avoids unnecessary calls like Hughes and his fangirls (to keep control of the phone line — the other time the phone bill cost him the eye of his handsome face!) and other secretarial related task jobs. Requirements: immediate availability, being young and attractive, and rock that tiny mini skirt!

Speaking aptly of miniskirts, Roy was the president of The S.K.I.R.T.S. Foundation. He hoped that Havoc, the vice president, would run tonight’s meeting smoothly without him. Breda was second in command and he would support Havoc in events of Roy not making it to the meeting. Falman would document everything that had happened during the meeting and handle the donations. Fuery was pretty much the nerd who handled the technical stuff.

Satisfied with his mental job ad for the Monday newspaper and a little peace of mind about his trustworthy subordinates handling the ongoing meeting, Roy smirked once more. However, his expression slips as he landed on reality: he has yet to finish his paperwork and Riza was still working hard as a mule.

Riza! He almost forgot about her! How silly of you, Roy! He slapped himself.

“Riza?"

The First Lieutenant paused for a moment after hearing that Roy had called her once more by her first name earlier today. "Yes, Corone — I mean, Roy?"

"Can we talk together for a while?"

"Well... we have a long job to finish," Riza reminded him, sadly. On the inside, she would not mind talking to the Colonel.

"Then we are going to take a break. We have been working without ceasing for three hours straight," Roy basically gave that suggestion for the benefit and wellbeing of both.

Riza accepted his suggestion since her feet were starting to hurt. "Fine," she said as she filed the document that was in her hands and put it away neatly in a file folder before she sat down in a chair near the Colonel's desk. She faced Roy: "Okay. What did you wanted to talk to me about?"

"Ladies first: you bring up the subject of conversation. And I strictly forbid you to talk about anything related to the military and its affairs. Heck, we can even discuss Edward Elric’s lack of height theory!"

Riza was lost that the subject of the military was she mainly spoke with him on a regular daily basis… "Well, I can't really think of anything. How about if you establish the topic of our conversation, and we can talk about anything.”

"Fair enough," Roy nodded his head: _'Hell ... what am I going to talk about ...?_ ' he thought hard of a suitable subject to carry out a common conversation: "How are you... and Black Hayate?"

"He is well. The more he grows, I teach him more and more discipline."

Roy gave out a long whistle: "Wow, what did he do this time?"

"He did nothing; I just train him so that one day he will be useful in any given mission."

 _'It is obvious that she trains the poor little guy with pistols,'_ Roy thought and shuddered before speaking, "Yes, he would be helpful in tracing clues with his nose on missions. Not a bad idea: it would be a good proposition at the next meeting with higher-ranking officers and Fuhrer Bradley."

Roy had violated the rules but what he said was too valid to remind him of the rules he had established between them, Riza thought. "Have you ever had a pet dog?" she asked since she had heard once that he loves dogs.

"Yes, I had a pet dog, but that was a long time ago when I was a boy. My dog was a male, energetic and playful almost like Black Hayate. "

"And what happened to him? You are speaking in the past verb."

"A vehicle was going at a fast speed when my dog and I were walking the street in one afternoon-- I was able to save myself without a scratch, but my pet stayed in the middle of the street to bark at the car, and ..."

"So sorry for your loss," Riza said in condolence, deducing her words.

"It’s all right, Riza. I learned to cope with it myself and went on with my life. Would you accompany me to bring a bouquet of flowers to his grave? I haven't visited him in a while."

She nodded her head in affirmation: "Sure. Why not?

As time went by, Roy and Riza kept talking about the most general topics except the topic of politics, the military, and the deceased pet that was resting in peace to avoid that the Flame Alchemist would ever feel melancholic. There had come a point in time that they continued with the task, not realizing how much they had achieved much during the fleeting time.

"Did I ever tell you that there was a time Hughes played a prank on me?" Roy asked the blonde and she says no with her head in response, "He came to the headquarters one day disguised as the Human Torch and everyone thought I was burning him alive with my alchemy!"

The two laughed together in melody for a full minute.

"That Hughes sure is something else," Riza said when her laughter had dropped enough that she could speak properly as she examined a drawer in a closet and then looked at Roy with files in his hands. "This drawer is completely full. Where else can I put these files, Colonel Mustang?”

Hearing that, Roy made a serious face: "Riza. You called me Colonel Mustang," he seemed somewhat disappointed in his words.

"Really? Excuse me, it's a force of habit," she sincerely said.

"I'm afraid that I’m going to have to give you a little lecture on this delicate subject matter," Roy said before he stood from his desk to walk around it. He placed himself in front of the desk. He gestured the blonde to be next to him, and she did. He looks her in the eye before starting his 'class': "What's my name?"

"Colonel Must — I mean Roy!"

"How I caught you red-handed," he said sternly as he crossed his arms to his chest.

"You see what I say? It's a matter of habit."

"I'll help you to break the habit. I repeat, what is my first name? Repeat after me. Roy."

"Roy."

"Rooooooooy."

"Rooooooooy."

" _Roy_."

" _Roy_."

"That's it, Riza! My name is Roy. R-O-Y. Now let's see if it's true that you learned it. What's my name?"

"Roy. Your name is Roy."

"Very good, Riza! You passed the lecture!" Roy said in congratulations with a grin as he pumped a fist in the air. "Did you see? It is not difficult at all to pronounce my name. You will only call me Colonel Mustang during work. What only exists here is Roy, and no one else. Since you're only here as Riza, and not as First Lieutenant Hawkeye. "

Riza became intrigued at Roy’s name-calling antics: "Seriously. There is something I still don't understand. Why do you insist on calling each other by our first names?"

"We don’t really talk much, and I want to get to know who really Riza was. She is a bit more open, sweet, and easier to talk to than First Lieutenant Hawkeye. She is serious/no-nonsense, reserved, and she has guns," Roy shuddered as he finished his sentence. Those guns really sent a chill down his spine.

"Well I prefer Colonel Mustang. However... Roy is better," her opinion was pure and honest.

The look in Roy’s became intense upon gearing those sweet words that were meant to him... and he placed a hand on her left shoulder. His hand slipped down her arm…

Riza couldn't handle the intensity that Roy carried in his dark eyes that turned her gaze a little. His touch was so warm and welcoming…"Um, we should go back to the task."

With those words, the intensity in Roy's eyes dropped and he took his hand away from his subordinate that he placed it in his pockets: "You're right…" he mumbled. Out of the blue, he noticed that Riza went alert: "What's wrong, Riza?" he asked concerned.

"Did you hear that? Listen to movements: it is as if we are not alone."

Roy became perplexed: everyone was supposed to be at home, including the maintenance janitors, "I'll go investigate."

"I'll go with you."

An hour after searching all the headquarters facilities, the couple returned to the office empty-handed: they did not find absolutely anything about the source of the interruption that had occurred.

"There was no one there. How strange ... I swear, Roy, I heard someone making noise.”

"Don't worry, Riza, I do believe you. Thanks to that idiot we were late in finishing the job — we still have a long way to go."

"It doesn't matter. We'll finish it together before the sun comes up."

Roy smiled at Riza's determination: "Shall we continue?"

And she returned the same smile: "Of course."

Roy laughed a little wryly, placing one of his hands on one of her shoulders. "That's my Riza. Now that I remember, here in the office I have a coffee pot stored. I can go to the dining room area and make coffee for both of us."

"How about if I go do it?"

"I don't want you to go alone. It would be better if I did,” Roy said almost as if he was being protective of Riza.

"Come on, Roy. You go ahead with the paperwork to make up for the time we lost back there. I’ll come back as soon as possible."

Roy sighed in defeat: she has a good point, finally deciding to listen to her, "Okay, Riza, you win,” he said before he looked for the coffee maker that he had stored in one of the cupboards in the office. After finding the object, he handed it over to Riza, who without wasting time proceeds to leave the office.

The dark-haired man haired man watches the blonde walk towards the door with a smile on her handsome face. As she opened and closed the office door, he sat down in his chair, preparing to resume his paperwork ... still with the same expression, which never left him for a second. He begins to sign anew the paperwork…. When he reached the third paper sheet, his expression falls again that it paused his task in the process: something was wrong. He was going to do his blissful task for the first time in his life with a smile on his face that it made him ponder: _'My Riza ...? Since when is she my Riza?'_

In the hallways, Riza walked towards the direction of the cafeteria to make coffee with the coffee pot that Roy handed her. One detail that she was completely unaware of was that a figure was silently observing her from a distance: the figure was covered by a hat, dark glasses, and a long trench coat tied to his waist, dress pants, and black leather shoes _. 'That was close! If I were discovered for a minute, all this effort would go down to the toilet! From what I have seen, everything is going well from what I initially imagined...'_ He smiled evilly in satisfaction and ready to leave Central Headquarters without being discovered by anyone or anything.

Thirty minutes later in the infirmary at the Central Headquarters this conversation happened:

"How are you feeling, Riza?"

"It's better now. That was nothing."

"What do you mean by that? What does that mean? Look what that evil liquid from the devil did to your hand! It was a dire situation that I had to recruit troops of soldiers and an ambulance! Poor thing! You went attacked by the hands of the enemy being without me, and--! "

"Roy, please! You're exaggerating things! A mug of hot coffee poured over my hand, not some a chemical acid!"

"I should have been by your side since you went to the cafeteria ..."

The conversation ended with an audible sigh from Riza.

Back at the office, Roy was sitting at his desk again as he signed the accursed paperwork. Riza, on the other hand, was sitting on the sofa with her right hand bandaged from the burn. Roy had forbidden her to do anything or even protest. Not that Riza was an infant baby! It was not fair! She sat on the sofa like a useless moron as she watched Roy continue the work of signing, filing, and storing the documents for the two of them. If only she weren't so distracted to pour the hot coffee on her...

"Tell me, Roy, how are you doing without me so far?" Riza asked to break the anxiety and monotony formulated in just a short time.

"I quickened my work while you were in the cafeteria. Let's just say we're getting less and less to do," Roy replied without looking at her, still focused on the paperwork.

"That is good to hear."

So Roy decides to take another break. He noticed how Riza had been restless in her seat for the past hour. To help her relax, he made the decision to take a spontaneous break to speak to her until the burn antidote was taking effect on her. He set the pen in hand down on the desk to accompany Riza on the sofa. He sat close to her: "Riza, can I ask you a personal question?" he began

"Yes, sure. Ask me what you want."

“Have you ever thought about quitting the military to make your own life in the civilian world?" Roy asked with indefinite interest.

Riza thought of the right words: "I feel that this is my place and I plan to serve this country until the day I die. I also found in this place my primary purpose: to protect a person at all costs. That person is a great leader, and that is what is needed within this military. I have faith that he will change the world with his driven nature. I will protect him not only because he is a charismatic leader and has his faithful followers who would give a lot for him, but also because he is very important to me as a human being. "

Roy was quiet and at the same time fascinated with this passionate side that Riza Hawkeye expressed to him in words.

"I want to be with him... forever by his side," Riza finished softly. At the moment, Roy's laughter is heard, and she looks at him strangely, "What's wrong? Why are you laughing?

Roy spoke to her when he stopped laughing: "Oh, Riza. I can't believe you were somewhat ignorant of your own feelings. You fell in love with him without realizing it! You spoke so highly of him as if he were those impossible loves that you have so close but far from your own reach. "

Riza thought better of things: it could be that Roy is right ... "I never thought of it that way ..." she blushed. Then again, Roy was absolutely right: she was deeply in love with that person. All this time, she had neglected her own emotions…

Roy smiled mischievously, "So little Riza Hawkeye had fallen in love... He is truly fortunate to be the object of your affections."

Riza closed her eyes and let out a deep sigh: "He doesn't know about this and I want it to stay like this."

Roy stared at her and crossed his arms to his chest, "So you prefer to love him from afar and secretly for the rest of your life?"

"As it always has been."

"If you continue like this, what would happen if he finds himself another woman?" Roy asked seriously.

Riza opened her eyes again to give her answer with a calm gaze. "His goals and his wellbeing are what matters most to me," she replied without showing any remorse. "And tell me, Roy, have you ever been in love with a woman?"

Roy thought about it first before speaking because it would be a shame for him to discuss his feelings with someone else. He was alone with Riza, and that's why he had the confidence to tell her, "Well ... There is this woman who caught my attention: she is different from the women I have met and flirted as an expert womanizer. I have not approached her because I fear that she is not interested in me and she would reject me at will. "

Riza raised an eyebrow. A single woman in Central is not interested in the famous Roy Mustang? Wow, that woman maybe was blind and she had a bad taste in men. "Who wouldn't be interested in you? Almost every woman in the town of Central likes you."

Roy sighed as if he had no hope. He dropped his arms to both sides of the back of the sofa and leaned his back, "... but not her."

"Anyway, did you ever thought of trying to tell her about your interest in her?" Riza asked with some concern.

"Maybe not…Just like you will never confess to your secret boyfriend that you love him," Roy seemed satisfied with the situation between him and his love interest.

"I bet she would like to at least go out on a date with you if you took the courage to confess to her..." Riza gave him a sweet smile, which was rare. "... because you are handsome, charming, intelligent, charismatic, and kind."

Roy returns Riza the smile with one of his own, being grateful for the words of encouragement and he straightened his body. He took her left hand and gave it a squeeze. Those words were filling him with the courage to do what his heart told him, "I would give it a shot if you also tried to confess to your secret boyfriend your love for him," he said honestly.

Riza nodded, still with her present smile, "Okay." Just seeing that Roy will give the attempt to achieve his happiness with the woman he has been interested in made her happy inside.

Roy raised his hand and moved only his little finger. "Pinky promise?"

Riza giggled a little and raised her left hand to Roy's level. She linked her own little finger together with his, "It's a promise."

After swearing with their finger promise, Riza looked at the time that she and Roy have spent talking to each other and then seeing the darkness through the only window in the office. "Wow. What time is it?"

Roy looked at the clock that was hanging on one of the four walls of the office. "It is close to midnight..." He looked at Riza again, "What do you think? We should stop for today."

"What about Hughes? He doesn't need all the papers signed and filed in the morning?"

"Ah yes! Tomorrow the headquarters won't open — it's the day of the famous soldiers who gave their lives in Central's independence war. We can take advantage and finish the rest all day long…That is you don't have any plans in particular."

"Don't worry, tomorrow is a perfect day to finish the job."

"Then your secret boyfriend wouldn’t mind if I had you all day for myself?"

Riza blushed a little at the playful comment, "Roy..."

Roy liked to see Riza this way. He thought she was cute, and he should make her blush more often, "Is he a jealous man?" Roy was curious to meet this man.

"And how about your love interest? Wouldn't it bothered her that Roy Mustang did try to attempt anything."

Roy shrugged, "Well I don't think so; if that was the case, she would never tell me."

"So, it is settled then. Tomorrow at 10:00 am?"

"Sounds good to me," Roy agreed and finally got up from her seat. "It is very late: I better accompany her to her house."

Along the way, Riza had refused time and time again to be accompanied by the Colonel due to her old habit of walking home alone. Roy had insisted on doing so since the First Lieutenant was wounded by her hand and it was his duty to comply as a gentleman towards a poor and defenseless lady. Riza eventually gave up her tenacity as the two of them were already close to the house. At least the path was not as long as Roy had originally anticipated as he left the gates of the Central Headquarters.

"Here we are, this is my house ..." Riza announced and the two stopped in front of the front door. "Well, take good care of yourself, Roy. Are you sure nothing will happen to you on the way to your apartment?"

Roy put his hands in each pocket of his pants, "Nothing will happen to me. Otherwise, I will make a giant barbecue in the middle of the street to those who stand in the way of my apartment," he said very sure of himself…he searched for something in the left pocket of his pants. When he found it, he pulled out his fist-shaped hand and handed Riza a bottle of medicine.

Riza looked at the small bottle and its red liquid contents that she had taken with her left hand.

"That home alchemy remedy is taken with a glass of water so that the burn on your hand passes overnight," Roy explained.

Riza nodded her head at the explanation.

Roy spun around to walk from Riza's house to his apartment. After a few steps, he stopped as if contemplating something he has not done to go away once and for all in holy peace.

"Roy? Did you forget something?" Riza asked herself about her change in mood.

Roy returned to the front door to be close to Riza again. Riza noticed the painful short amount of distance between the two and the unknown look that Roy had in her eyes. He looked like he wanted to do something but something inside him was preventing him in such a way that he was fighting with himself. Riza could also smell the scent of intense masculine perfume.

Roy reached with a hand to take his friend's chin and traced her jawline with a thumb. He closed eyes, tilted his head, and began to slowly bring her face closer to his own face. Riza could do nothing to stop Roy but to surrender to his will. When the two lips were going to make minimal contact, Roy reacted that he opened his eyes and immediately walked away from Riza.

Riza felt possibly hurt and confused with his action: "Roy?" she called out to him.

Roy was on his back again. "Have a good night, Riza," and he started to walk away to his apartment without looking at Riza again.

**Author's Note:**

> Leave comments and tell me what you think so far! Part 2 is on the works!


End file.
